The new
infant growth charts were developed using data from several sources. NHANES
III provided weight, length, and head circumference data beginning at
2 months of age. NHANES II provided data beginning at 6 months of age
and NHANES I provided data beginning at 12 months of age. Because national
surveys did not collect data between birth and 2 months of age, supplemental
data was used. These data included 1) birth data from U. S. vital statistics;
2) length and weight-for-length data from Missouri and Wisconsin birth
certificates; 3) length data from infants between 0.5 and 4.5 months of
age in the Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance System; and 4) head circumference
measurements at birth from the Fels Longitudinal Study.